iPad Alternatives: 13 Tablet PCs To Try Instead Of The iPad

For those who find the iPad unwieldy, the Samsung Galaxy Tab may offer a more manageable, portable alternative. "With its 7-inch screen and form factor of 7.5 by 4.7 by .5 inches it is small enough to easily hold in one hand and use even as you walk around," Huffington Post blogger Larry Magid wrote of the Samsung Galaxy Tab. PC World says the "impressive" device is the "first tablet to come along that appears to be capable of challenging the Apple iPad." However, "the burden of carrier contracts may seal the unfortunate fate of the Samsung tablet before it even launches"--PC World notes that the Galaxy Tab is to be "offered through wireless carriers, subsidized like a smartphone"

The Dell Streak was intended to straddle the gap between smartphones and tablets--an official blog post described the Dell Streak as "a hybrid device that lives in the space between a smartphone and other larger tablets or netbooks that you might be using right now." While CNET called it the "first Android tablet worth taking seriously," the Associated Press called the smartphone-cum-tablet an "awkward phone" and "so-so tablet."Wired said of the Dell Streak in its hands-on review, "Overall, the Streak is an exciting, well-engineered device that should appeal to consumers who want to supersize their phone. But that also means its unlikely to have Apple or iPad fans quaking. The Streak seems like a tablet for a very different audience than the iPad." The Dell Streak is available for $300 with a two-year contract with AT&T.

Archos is launching five Android 2.2-based tablets later this year. The tablets vary in size, specs, and price, ranging from 3 to 10-inches in size and priced between $99.99 and $349.99. The Archos 28 and Archos 32 will be available in September 2010, while the Archos 43, Archos 7o, and "top-of-the-line" Archos 101 will be out "this fall", according to the company.

The Android-powered Notion Ink Adam, which Laptop Magazine called "amazing" back in January, will reportedly launch in late 2010 or early 2011--after numerous delays. (Notion Ink CEO Rohan Shravan said of the tablet's release, "We will have the device before the year ends. It will be introduced at a major event after which you can order it online.") According to Engadget, units will likely cost "$498 with WiFi, 3G, GPS, and a Tegra 2 system-on-chip powering things, with prices dipping down to $449 if you exclude either the 3G or Pixel Qi display option, and $399 if you drop both and make do with a WiFi-only LCD-based tablet."

Asus has announced three versions of its Eee Pad tablets: two models, one slated for release in late 2010 and another in early 2011, will run on Microsoft's Windows 7, while a third, Android-based Eee Pad is planned for March 2011. CNET writes, "The 12-inch version features Windows 7 and is set to sell for $1,000. The 10-inch Eee Pad will have Microsoft's Windows Embedded Compact 7 software--designed with tablets in mind--and cost between $399 and $499." According to PC World, the first of Asus' Eee Pads will be out in December or January.

LaptopMag calls the ExoPC Slate "the Windows 7 tablet we've been waiting for." According to the official ExoPC website, the 11-inch tablet will have a multi-touch interface, WiFi, Bluetooth, a webcam, microphone, 4-hour battery, and run Windows 7. Limited pre-orders will begin in September and should ship by October 15, 2010, according to an official statement on the ExoPC site and a report from Engadget. The ExoPC will begin at around $620.

Cisco announced its plans to release an Android tablet geared towards business users in early 2011. Cisco's Cius tablet, which will have a 7-inch screen, 8-hour battery, and two cameras, will focus on videoconferencing. According to the Associated Press, Cisco hopes to offer the device for under $1000.

Dubbed the "iPad for older folks" by PCMag, the WeTab (formerly called the WePad), is the "anti-iPad with multitasking, Flash, SD card slot, USB, along with the Android Marketplace," according to CrunchGear. The WeTab is set to launch in the UK in September 2010, according to the official WeTab website. The Associated Press describes the tablet's specs: "[t]he [WeTab]'s basic version, which comes with Wi-Fi and 16-gigabyte storage, is set to cost euro449 ($600), the larger 32-gigabyte version with a fast 3G modem is euro569."

The rugged, 12-inch, nearly 4-pound Motion Computing J3500 tablet is a beast when compared with lighter tablets like the iPad--but it's durable. Coated in rubber for a sturdy feel, its "field-ready" design is made to resist heat and water. Built around Intel's Core i5 or i7 processors, the system runs on Windows 7, has a 3-megapixel camera, and accepts pen and touch input. The device also comes with a $2,299 pricetag.

Gizmodo dubs ViewSonic's ViewPad 100 one of the five best tablets "revealed so far." "The killer feature in the ViewSonic ViewPad 100 is dual-booting capabilities with Windows 7 and Android, so you can kill two birds (cell phone nerd, work use) with one stone," Gizmodo explains, adding a caveat, "The main worry here is that the ViewPad 100 is an awkward combination machine, either way too powerful for Android 1.6 or not man enough to operate Windows 7 with ease." Techland lists the tablet's specs: "a 10-inch 1024x600 capacitive multi-touch display, 1.66GHz Intel Atom N455 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB solid-state hard drive (expandable via microSD), Wi-Fi/Bluetooth/GPS, two USB ports, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing webcam, and Windows 7 alongside Android 1.6, of course."

After some hiccups with Android- and Windows-powered slates, HP is expected to release a webOS-based Hurricane Tablet sometime in early 2011. HP recently confirmed the Q1 2011 release: "You'll see us with a Microsoft product out in the near future and a webOS-based product in early 2011," HP's Todd Bradley said during an earnings call.

Research In Motion (RIM), the creator of the BlackBerry, is rumored to be working on its own tablet. The device, unofficially dubbed the "BlackPad", is slated for a November 2010 release and will feature a 9.7-inch screen, "two people familiar with the company’s plans" told Bloomberg. Sources suggest the "BlackPad" would be a companion device. The Wall Street Journal writes that the rumored tablet "will connect to cellular networks via a BlackBerry phone."

Toshiba recently announced that its 10-inch Folio 100 tablet will be out by the end of the year, headed for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East (the company has yet to decide whether it will come to Japan and the U.S.). Gizmodo picked the Folio 100 as one of the best tablet PCs out so far, although Engadget was less impressed by the device: "it still feels pretty cheap, and we're not sure how much we trust ourselves one-handing something this large and fragile seeming." According to the Wall Street Journal, the Folio 100 supports Adobe Flash, is multi-touch, comes with an embedded webcam, can connect to the web via WiFi, and will sell for around $500.